Atlanta Braves attend the simulated winter meetings day 3
By Fred Owens
Day two of the Atlanta Braves foray into these simulated winter meeting started off frustrating but about the time I should have been in bed things perked up.
After losing out on pitchers Monday night, Tuesday morning offered little hope of success . We talked all day long but accomplished no more than a sore throat. Deals came close, then a call back (or email back) never came. It wasn’t until 9:00 pm Central time that things started to move
Simulated Atlanta Braves signing – Andre Ethier
Okay it doesn’t seem like much, but getting Andre Ethier on board for $5M with an option for 2019 gave us a dependable left handed bat who can fill in across the outfield – admittedly center field would be an emergency but he’s done it as recently as 2016. He’s also done emergency duty at first base.
Atlanta Braves
Ethier’s the consummate professional and leader who will help the younger players. Most of us know Ethier from the trouble he gave Braves’ pitchers over the years. Now he’s on our side.
That looked like being today’s news, but things picked up about midnight when the Astros GM woke up.
Simulated trade – Braves acquire Mike Fiers
The departure of Julio Teheran to Seattle – he didn’t even get to visit before Seattle flipped him to the Nationals – meant we needed a veteran arm to add innings. Mike Fiers provides the missing innings. Fiers spent his first four plus seasons in Milwaukee working both as a starter in relief and from the pen.
In that time he posted a 3.66 ERA. 3.61 FIP over 341 2/3 innings, averaging 9.2 K/9 with a 3.32 K.BB rate. In the middle of 2015 the Brewers traded him to Houston where he continued to pitch well. In 2016 he made 31 starts and threw 168 2/3 innings as the Astros made their first run at post season play since 2005.
This season he made 28 starts but struggled a bit. His ERA climbed to 5.52 but he continued to strike hitters out. When Justin Verlander arrived, Fiers found himself back in the bullpen.
Minor Moves
The Braves also acquired Jack Mayfield, a AAA second baseman who has always hit well but had trouble with his glove. He’s on the 40 man roster but will start the year at Gwinnett.
I had just finished that when the Padres agreed to a deal sending Aaron Blair to San Diego in return for utility man Cory Spangenberg. Spangenberg played all over the infield for the Padres and even had a turn or two in the outfield. In that role this year he hit 11 home runs and posted a .264/.322/401 line. I also made a small trade with Detroit.